Laundry machine



LAUNDRY MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 27, 1928 JQ me B. Kir-'b3 Inveritor' Att ornex Patented Nov. 8g, 1932 UNITED STATES JAMES B. KIBBY, F WEST RICHFIELD, OHIO LAUNDRY MACHINE Application 'led February'l,

This invention relates to combined washing and extracting machines and has for its object the provision of a simple, inexpensive and compact device of this character wherein the clothes container is mounted in a new manner whereby the vibration of the machine is reduced during the extracting operation; another object of the invention is the provision of an electric washing machine where- .u in the motor and gearing is so mounted relatively to the casing and other parts as to eliminate noise; other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

Reference may be had to`the following copending applications wherein l have claimed certain subject matter common thereto and to this disclosure, viz, Serial No.

(394,899 filed Feb. 25, 1924, Serial No. 114,191

filed June 7, 1920, Serial No. 176,908 tiled March 21, 1927, Serial No. 176,909 filed March 21. 1927, Serial No. 176,910 filed March 21,

1927, Serial No. 188,332 filed May 2, 1927,

Serial No. 480,424 filed Sept. 8, 1930.

1n the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this application 1 have shown an illustrative embodiment of my said invention but it will be understood that the same is intended to be merely illustrative of the principles of my said invention and not to be exhaustive of the physical structures by which the same can be utilized. Fig.,1 is a vertical sectional view through the center of one of my improved machines corresponding to the line 1-1 of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view corresponding to the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and looking upwardly; Figs. 3 and 4 are detail sectional views corresponding to the lines 3-3 and 4 4 respectively of Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the container-hub. v

The casing of my improved machine preferably comprises an upright sheet metal side wall 1 and flat bottom wall 2 mounted on a 4 iat horizontal circular plate 3 carried by legs 1928, Serial No. 257,282. Renewed June 4, 1931.

4-4 and here shown as formed at its margin with a depending stiifening flange 5. The center of this plate is formed with a circular hole 6 which registers with an upstanding axial wall 7 which is joined water-tight to gg the bottom of the casing and projects up into the body thereof a substantial distance so as to define an annular reservoir 8.

Elastically suspended from the plate 3 is a supporting plate 10 formed at its center 55 with an internally threaded hub 1l in which is screwed a vertical bearing sleeve 12 which projects freely through the wall 7 to a point above the same and constitutes a, bearing for the vertical operating shaft 18. The plate w 10 is preferably supported at a plurality of points,in the present embodiment three in number, each support here comprising a vertical bolt 14 loosely traversing both plates and surrounded at each side of the plate 10 65 by a helical spring 15 placed under suitable compression to hold the plate yieldingly in position while permitting vibration or gyra-l torymovement thereof relatively to the plate 3. Carried by the bottom face of the plate 10 70 is a suitable driving motor 16, connected by suitable gearing with the said shaft 13. Ofcourse this gearing may take any one of a great number of forms within the scope of my invention; in the present embodiment 76 for illustrative purposes I have shown the motor shaft 17 as provided with two spiral gears 18 and-19 of dissimilar pitch, the first meshing continuously with a spiral gear 20 loosely sleeved on the shaft 13, the other continuously meshing with a spiral gear or worm wheel 21 carried by a stud 22 mounted in the plate 10. Slidably splined to the shaft 13 is a pinion 23 having on its upper side a clutch linger 24 adapted to engage a simis 85 lar companion finger carried by the pinion 20, and formed at its lower face with a grooved projection 25 engaged by the yoke 26. This yoke is carried by a vrock shaft 27 mounted in brackets 28 depending from the 90 is an internal annular plate l0, and to the end of said rock shaft is attached the controlling lever 29. When the pinion 23 occupies its lowermost position it meshes with a segmental rack journaled on a stud 31 carried by the bottom plate 10 and reciprocated by means of a pitman 32 articulated to the gear 21. When the pinion 23 is elevated, it breaks connection with the rack 30 prior to engagement of the lingers 24.

The upper end of the shaft 13 rises above the top of the sleeve l2 and is there provlded with a horizontal driving pin 35, and above that with a Iiuted portion 36. Carried by the upper end of said shaft is a washing container, and also a washing element. The container consists of a circular metal tub having side walls 41 which flare outwardly and upwardly from its bottom 37 to a polnt of maximum diameter indicated at 63 after which they are preferably drawn inwardly more or less as shown at 38 and terminated in a rounded rim 39. The side walls are formed at the point of greatest diameter with a horizontal row of perforations 40 La' which define a level of washing liquid during the washing operation. The center of the bottom is provided with a circular stiffening disk 42 (here shown as located below the bottom plate, but equally well located above the same) the bottom plate and stifi'ening plate being joined at the outer margin of that plate which is the larger, their center portions being spaced vertically and secured to opposite ends of an upright hub member 43 which loosely surrounds the shaft 13. This hub member is formed with a hollow at its center defining a groove 44 which extends completely around the same excepting for an interruption 45 at one point. The end of the pin 35 projects into this groove and it will be seen that this construction permits relative oscillation of shaft and container through a substantial arc. l. In order kto enable removal of the container from the shaft, said hub is formed at one side with longitudinal slot-way 46 leading to the hollow 44. It is of course essential that the slot-way 46 open at the bottom end of the hub. It will also be seen that no care need be exercised towards keeping the pin 35 in place in its sockety since it cannot be displaced while the parts are in working position.

Carried by the fluted end of the shaft is an agitating device of any suitable description or construction. Here, for purpose of illustration, I have shown one comprising a -slmple conical plate 50 having at its center an upright hub 51 and formed on its upper surface with a-plurality of projecting vanes 52, the interior 'of the hub being fiuted for sliding engagement with the shaft.

Carried by the side wall of the casing 1 gutter having a sheet metal bottom wall 55, and an upright inner wall 56 spaced from the sleeve 7 a suiiicienty Lesasee distance to allow reasonably comfortable access to the reservoir 8. Said gutter and reservoir have independent discharge cocks 57 and 58, respectively, leading to some desirable point of discharge. The bottom of the tub is I here shown as formed with a depending drip ridge 59 just outside the sleeve, and a second depending dripridge 60 just outside the wall 56.

The capacity of the reservoir 8 is made at least as great as lthe complete liquid capac` ity of the container 41 so that the entire liquid contents thereof can be transferred thereto without loss. The operation of the device is as follows: For washing purposes the container is filled with liquid and clothing as shown in Fig. l and the pinion 23 lowered into engagement with the rack 30. The amplitude of oscillation of the pinion is so chosen that the pin 35 shall sweep a distance not greater than the free portion of the recess 44; if the tub be not located in the correct position at the outset the first stroke will carry it to such position and it will thereafter remain still during the Washing operation although the dasher Will be oscillated back and forth in an obvious manner. When the washing operation has been completed the lever 29 is shifted to elevate the pinion 23 out of engagement with the rack 30 and bring the clutch fingers 24 into engagement, whereupon the finger 35 is swung into driving engagement with the proj ection 45 after which the shaft and tub rotate together at the speed determined by the gear ratio which is made rather high, for example 800 R. P. M. The centrifugal force causes the rapid expulsion of the washing liquid through the apertures 40 leaving the clothing behind. Ordinarily this washing liquid is allowed to return to the reservoir 8 by a proper arrangement of the valves.

The lever is now shifted to neutral position, a bucketful of rinse water poured into Vthe container, the lever moved into Washing position for a. short time so that the agitator may effect the rinsing operation, after which the level` is again moved to centrifuging position, the cock 57 being now opened so as to enable the separate discharge of the rinse Water Without diluting or cooling the washing liquid. Bluing may now be added and handled in the same way as the rinse water and discharged separately, after which the clothes may be centrifuged until satisfactorily dry whereupon they can be removed from the container. It will be noted that this entire washing, rinsing, bluing, and extracting operation has'been effected Without once requiring the operators hands to become wetted or to touch the clothes. Furthermore during substantially the entire extracting operation the weight of the casing has been increased by the weight of the liquid expelled from the container which thereby' constitutes i a ballast for the plate i wiping supporting the 3 and legs 4, while the container itself, being yieldinly carried by the plate 10 somewhat indepen ently thereof, is enabled to gyrate as necessary by even a substantial unb lance of theclothing without substantially vibrating the external casing. This is true despite the fact that this liquid is expelled by the centrifugal action itself, inasmuch as the great preponderance of the liquid is discharged from the container during the first few turns 'and before any substantial speed is attained, y

After the completion of therst batch of clothing, a new batch is introduced into the container, the liquid in the reservoir 8 is returnedy thereto and the washing operation repeated. I have here shown the simplest type of machine, assuming the use of a pail to return this liquid to the container, though it is obvious that other means could be utilized if desired. 'At the .conclusion of the entire washing operation the removal of the tub 39 (the dasher comes with it, without necessitating separate removal) opens the casing iiiterior sufficiently to enable the convenient of all parts thereof. v

With a dasher of the type shown there is no need to take it out at any time except to wipe out the container and casing. lVhen the dasher is made with an air-tight socket and recessed under face as`here shown, the air entrapped beneath the same prevents any substantial leakage from the container; however, if because of a change in the shape of the parts of the removal of the dasher or the use of a dasher having apertures and thus not exhibiting the air seal, any liquid should find its way into the hub it will be collected in the recess 44 and can be discharged by a suitable vent 61 and thence by drainage apertures 62 located outside the drip ridge 59. Of course it is not necessary to employ all these features in any one machine.

It will be understood that many changes 'in detail can be made within the scope of my invention and I do not limit myself to any features of construction or arrangement herein described except as the same are specifically recited in my several claims which I desire may be construed each independently of limitations contained in other claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. In a domesticlaundry machine, in combination, a container for the clothes, a clothes washing element therein, upright shaft means connectablewith said container and connected to said washing element, a bearing shaft means, a motor, gearin connections between said motor and sha1-gt means, whereby either said washing element is agitated or said container revolved, a single member on which are mounted said bearing,

motor, and gearing connections,

a supporting frame separate from said member, and means bination, a container for ther clothes,

yieldingly and vflexibly supporting said frame relative y to said member.

2. In a domestic-laundry machine, in coma clothes washing element therein, upright shaft means connectable with said container and connected to said washing element, a bearing supporting the shaft means, a motor, earinig; connections between said motor and sha means, whereby either said washin element is agitated or said container revolve a single member on which are mounted said bearing, motor, and gearing connections, a casing surrounding said container, said casing having an annularL reservoir surrounding said shaft and bearing adapted to catch and hold liquid expelled from said container, and means ieldinglyand flexibly supporting said memer relatively to said casing.

3. In a domestic laundry machine, in combination, a container for clothes and liquid mounted for rotation about a vertical axis and having its walls imperforate below a. given level, means for agitating-the clothes and liquid in said container, means for rotating said container, a receiver for the liquid extracted from the clothes, and means for yieldingly supporting said container relative to said receiver whereby the former can gyrate relative to the latter, said receiverl being of annular shape and surrounding the axis of said container so that the liquid in said receiver'constitutes a ballast for said container.l

4. In a combined washing machine and extractor, of the type having a container for clothes and liquid during the washing oper-v ation and for the clothes during the extract ing operation, said container having its side walls outwardly and upwardly iared and having in those walls a horizontal row of apertures defining a level of washing liquid during the washing operation, means for agitating the contents of said container to effect the removal of foreign matter from the fabrics therein, and means for rotating said container to discharge its liquid contents centrifugally; characterized by a casing surrounding said container and having an anadapted to catch and hold the '1 nular chamber expelled liquid, and means supporting said container for vibratory and gyratory movement relative to said casing.

5. In a combined washing machine and extractor, means for selectively oscillating said shaft through an arc less than 360 and for rotating said shaft steadily in one direction, a dasher element operatively connected to said shaft, and a clothes container surrounding said dasher element, said container having a in combination, an upright shaft,

hub rotatably .surrounding said shaft below a said dasher element, and means operative upon continuous rotation of said shaft in one direction to engage said container in rotating relation and upony oscillation of said shaft to disengaged from said container.

a portable combined washing chine and centrifuge,

maa rotatable contalner for clothing and liquid, an outer casing surand having a liquiddischarge outlet in its lower part, means for rounding said container closing said discharge outlet so as to preserve the liquid ejected from said container, means for yieldingly and iexibly supportingsaid container relative to said casing, mechanism for rotating said container for extracting purposes, and mechanism for agitating the contents of said container for washing purposes.

7. In a portable combined washing machine and centrifuge, a vertical shaft, a contamer for clothes and liquid operatively connected thereto, an outer liquid holding casing adapted to receive and preserve the liquid ejected from said container, said casing having an outer wall surrounding said container and depending to a lower level than the bottom of said container and also having an inner wall loosely surrounding container and spaced from said outer wall to define an annular reservoir, means for yieldingly and flexibly supporting said shaft and container relative to said casing, mechanism for rotating said container for extracting purposes, and mechanism for agitating the contents of said container for washing purposes.

8. In a combined washing'machine and extractor, in combination, a vertical shaft, a dasher operatively associated with said shaft so as to rotate therewith, a container surrounding said dasher and having an axial bearing element coaxial with said shaft, there being an operative connection between a part which rotates with said container and a part which rotates with said shaft whereby said shaft and dasher can oscillate freely through a limited angle relative to said container, and whereby said Vcontainer is compelled to accompany the rotation of said shaft through a Wider, angle, and means for selectively oscillating said shaft through an angle not greater than the limited angle above mentioned to effect a washing movement of said dasher, or for rotating said shaft continuously in onedirection to produce an extracting motion of said container.

9. In a combined -washing machine and extractor, in combination a vertical shaft, a dasher coaxial with and operatively connected to said shaft so as to move therewith, and together constituting one element, a container surrounding said dasher and having a hollow supporting part coaxial with said shaft and together constituting a ,second rotatable element, means for selectively rotating or oscillating said shaft about its axis, said elements being formed, one with a projecting member and the other with a portion cooperating with said member to produce driving connection upon continuous rotation connection upon said shaft beneath saidA llng an annular reservoir surrounding vliquid expelled from 1,ese,ssa

of said shaft and to disengage such drivr oscillation of said shaft.'

10. In ,a domestic laundry machine,l in combination, a container -for clothes and llquid mounted for rotation about a vertical axis and having 'slanting'side walls which are imperforate below a certain level so that liquid can be held therein, means operative independent of movement of the container for agitating the clothes and liquid therein, a vertical shaft for rotating said'container a motor, driving connections between said motor and shaft, an annular-receiver surrounding said shaft for the liquid expelled from said container, said motor, driving'connections and bearing being attached to and carried by a member which is separate from said receiver and movable relative thereto, and said receiver being of a suilicient size to accommodate the entire liquid 'contents of said container.

11. Ina domestic laundry machine, in combination, a clothes container formed as a surface of revolution about a vertical axis and having an agitating element therein, upright shaft-means ,coaxial withl said container, a bearing supporting said shaftmeans, a motor, gearing connections between said motor and said shaft-means whereby the container contents are agitated or said container revolved alternatively, a casing .surrounding said container, said casing havsaid shaft and bearing adapted to catch and hold said container, a single member on which are mounted said bearin and motor and gearing connections, an means yieldably andllexibl Asupporting said member relative to said casing.

.12. In a combined washing and extractingl Ymac'hine, in combination,

tainer located in said casing and having its exterior`defined by `a surface of revolution about a vertical axis, an oscillatable dasher located inside said container and coaxial therewith, an upright shaft j ournaled in said casing coaxial with said -dasher and container, means for selectively oscillating and rotating said shaft, means maintaining said shaft at a substantially fixed height, means connecting said shaft operative y to said dasher and means for operatively connecting .said shaft t'o said container, said last means including provisions whereby said shaft and dasher can oscillate freely without moving said container and whereby said container is compelled to accompany the movement of said shaft during'its rotation.

13. In a combined washing and extracting machine, in combination a casing, a container located in said casing and having its exteriordefined by a surface of'revolution about a vertical axis, an oscillatable dasher located inside said container and coaxial therewith, an upright shaft journaled in said a caslng, a concasing coaxial with said dasher and container, means for selectively oscillating and rotating said shaft, means operativelyconnecting said shaft to said dasher and means independent of any axial movement of said shaft for compellingsaid container to accompany said shaft upon continuous rotation thereof, While leaving said container stationary during oscillatory movements of said shaft subtending less than a complete revolution.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

JAMES B. KIRBY. 

